Self-cushioning metal tie



Oct. 27, 1925' R. L. POWELL SELF cusmomue METAL TIE Filed May 20, 1925 l37m l'h/ JZJWL QZZ Patented Oct 27, 1925 To all; whomit may concern:

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Application fiiealnay ao, "1 9935. serial no. 31 ,644

Be it known that'I, RICHARD L. POWELL; a citizen of the Unitedstatesjresidin'g at Lewistown, in the county of Mifilin and State ofPennsylvania; have invented a new and hsefulSlf-Cushiohihg Metal Tie, ofwhich the following is a specification;

The device. forming the subject matter of this application is railroadtie, and one object oi the invention is to provide novel means wherebythe tie will have the desired resiliency. 7 Another object of theinvention is to ro-f vide novel means for connecting a ml to the tie; V

' It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generallya'I-ld to enhance the utility of devices of that sort to which theinvention appertai-ns. i

With the above and other objects in 'i iew which will appear as thedescription pro-- ceeds, the invention resides in the combine tion andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed; it being understood that; changes in the preciseembodiment of thein vention herein disclosed, may made within the scopeof what is claimed, without departing from the spiritof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in top plan, a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinalsection; Figure 3 is a transverse section; Figure 4: is a plan of one ofthe rack bars Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the cushionplates; and Figure 6 is a fragmental section.

in carrying out the invention, there is provided a metal tie 1, whichmay be described, roughly and generally, as being of invertedtrough-shape. The tie 1 comprises a top 2 and side walls 3 equipped attheir lower edges with inwardly extended flanges The top 2 of the tiehas a trough-shaped longitudinal seat 5. In the base of the seat 5 thereare key hole slots 6. An opening 7 is formed in the base of the seat 5and is disposed between the key hole slots 6. In the side walls 8 of thetie 1 there are elongated openings 8. The openings 8 are enlarged attheir ends, as shown at 9.

In the sides 3 of the tie 1 openings 10 are formed. The openings 10 arelocated, respectively, above and below the elongated openings or slots 8and communicate therewith. In the openings 10 are located plates Theendsnf the sideflangesv 12 engage the 11,-the plates ll' having side 12;

sidewalls 30f thetie 1, within the tier The I plates ll-fhaii'e endflanges Li which engage the outer surfaces ot-the side' 'walls 3 oftliet e :1, the end/flanges 14: having exten sions- 15 The flanges 14.and12 oi eac'h plate project in opposite dire'ctibnsyand cooper 7 atewith the sidewalls 310i the tie: 1' to hold the plates 11 securelylILPlLICE-L Between the plates lldslocatedabloek 16 made ofwood i orother-material, of a like sort. The:flanges 12 on the plates-11 preventthe block 16 "from in'ovingilengthwiseofthe tie'l, as Figure-2 willin-akefiinaiiifest. A securing element 1?, snich a'spike, isdrii'enfdownwardly through the uppermost: plate 11, into the block 16,to hold the block against shifting transtersely of the tie "The opening7 in the-seat '5 of the tie 1 permits the driringof the securingelementor spike 17 Arack bar fits closely ,nrthe .s'eat Fibf the tie'1". The teeth of the ranks on the bar lS'flaceinopposite directions,shown at 194:1 The rack har 18 has :1 depending pro jectionTZOa Theprojection 20 is received in the opening 7 ofthe tie 1. The projection20 ex'erc'ise's two functions Fir-shit aids in preventing the rack "bar18 ltronr shitting eii chvise. Second, it siert'e-s to hold downithesecuring element or spike 171 The rack bar 18 has key hole slots 21which register with the key hole slots 6 on the tie 1. The rack bar 18has depending fingers 22 which, engaging the tie 1 at the outer ends ofthekey hole slots 6, aid in preventing the rack bar 18 from movingendwise.

The rail 23 rests on the top 2 of the tie. Retainers 24 are supplied,and are adjustable in the seat 5 of thetie 1. The retainers 24: haveracks 25 cooperating with the racks 19 of the rack bar 18. Securingdevices 26, such as bolts, are adjustable in the registering key holeslots 6 and 21 of the tie and of the rack bar, respectively, the bolts26 passing upwardly through the retainers 21-. The head of each bolt 26comprises a part 27 which fits in the restricted part of the key holeslots 6 of the tie l, to hold the bolt against rotation. The head of thebolt 26 includes, also, a laterally extended part 28, engaging theundersurface of the base of the seat 5, on each side of the restrictedportion of the key hole slot 6. Nuts 29 are threadedon the upper ends ofthe bolts and engage the retainers 24.

tratfic conditions.

The tie forming the subject matter of this application is so constructedthat it affords a simple but efficient means for holding the rail 23 inplace, the tie having the necessary resiliency and thereby avoiding oneof the main objections to metal ties, namely, their extreme rigidity.

The tie forming the subject matter of this application may be alluded toproperly as a self-cushioning metal tie. Its construe tion is such thatit will of necessity give a uniform cushion at all times, regardlessoi": Especial attention is di' rooted to the fact that practically allof the fastening means are located well down in the trough-shaped seat5, and, consequently, there is small chance that the mechanism alludedto will be broken or damaged by the wheels of cars, or in any other way.Furthermore, when the track gets out of line, the rails may be moved, tosecure alinement, with respect to the tie, it being unnecessary to throwthe tie, along with the rails, and

move the tie on the ballast, after the ballast has been tamped to a firmbed under the tie.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is securing elementbeing insertible through the opening, a rack bar on the tie and having aprojection received in the opening and located above the securingelement, a rail retainer cooperating with the rack bar, and

- means for holding the retainer in place.

2. In a device of the class described, a tie provided in its top with anelongated trough-sl'iaped seat, a rack bar in the seat, means forconnecting the rack bar to the tie to prevent the bar from shifting inthe seat, a rail retainer extended into the seat and cooperating withthe rack bar, and means for holding the retainer in place.

3. In a device of the class described, a tie provided with elongatedslots in its sides, plates extended between the sides of the tie. acushion block located between the plates, the slots extending on bothsides of the cushion block, and means for holding a rail on the tie.

4:. In a device of the class described, a tie provided in its top with atrough-shaped seat, a-rack bar located in the seat, the rack bar and theseat being provided with registering key hole slots, a retainer coactingwith the rack bar, and a securing device connected with the retainer,the securing device comprising a head engaged beneath the seat andinsertible through the enlarged portion of the key hole slot, theretainer comprising a part fitting in the reduced portion of the keyhole slot of the seat to hold the securing devices against rotation.

5. In a device of the class described, a tie, a rack bar on the tie, therack bar and the tie having registering key hole slots, the rack barhaving means for engaging the tie at the ends of the key hole slots ofthe tie to prevent the rack bar from shifting, a rail retainercooperating with the rack bar, and a securing element adjustablelongitudinallv in the key hole slot and connecting the retainer with thetie.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy, signature.

RICHARD L. POWELL.

